Biodiversity & Succession Biodiversity: the variety of life in a particular ecosystem

1. Biodiversity & Succession Biodiversity:the variety of life in a particular ecosystem vs.

2. Biodiversity & Succession Biodiversity:the variety of life in a particular ecosystem vs. -high biodiversity leads to sustainable ecosystems -in part, due to the many branches available in the food web

3. Biodiversity & Succession Biodiversity under Attack: humans are rapidly destroying Earth's ecosystems and along with them, many species, some we don't even yet know exist

4. Biodiversity & Succession Biodiversity under Attack: humans are rapidly destroying Earth's ecosystems and along with them, many species, some we don't even yet know exist Extinct: a species that has died out and no longer occurs on Earth e.g. passenger pigeon

5. Biodiversity & Succession Biodiversity under Attack: humans are rapidly destroying Earth's ecosystems and along with them, many species, some we don't even yet know exist Extirpated: a species that no longer exists in a specific area in the wild but still lives elsewhere e.g. Atlantic walrus in Northwest Atlantic

6. Biodiversity & Succession Biodiversity under Attack: humans are rapidly destroying Earth's ecosystems and along with them, many species, some we don't even yet know exist Endangered: a species facing imminent extirpation or extinction e.g. swift fox from the Western grasslands of N.A.

7. Biodiversity & Succession Biodiversity under Attack: humans are rapidly destroying Earth's ecosystems and along with them, many species, some we don't even yet know exist Threatened: a species that is likely to become endangered if factors reducing its survival are not changed e.g. humpback whale

8. Biodiversity & Succession Biodiversity under Attack: humans are rapidly destroying Earth's ecosystems and along with them, many species, some we don't even yet know exist Special Concern: a species that may become threatened or endangered because of a combination of factors e.g. polar bear

9. Biodiversity & Succession Succession: the gradual and usually predictable changes in the composition of a community and the abiotic conditions following a disturbance

10. Biodiversity & Succession Succession: the gradual and usually predictable changes in the composition of a community and the abiotic conditions following a disturbance Equilibrium: the state of an ecosystem with relatively constant conditions over a period of time (also called a climax community) -succession leads to greater and greater biodiversity, leading to a more sustainable ecosystem -succession can help endangered or threatened species return to sustainable levels

11. Biodiversity & Succession Succession: the gradual and usually predictable changes in the composition of a community and the abiotic conditions following a disturbance Primary Succession: succession on newly exposed ground, such as following a volcanic eruption

12. Biodiversity & Succession Succession: the gradual and usually predictable changes in the composition of a community and the abiotic conditions following a disturbance Secondary Succession: succession in a partially disturbed ecosystem, such as following a forest fire

13. Biodiversity & Succession Succession: the gradual and usually predictable changes in the composition of a community and the abiotic conditions following a disturbance Secondary Succession: succession in a partially disturbed ecosystem, such as following a forest fire first: perennial plants and herbs second: shrubs and young trees third: pine forest fourth: maple beech forest